Spelling board



Sept. 17, 1929. M. RIVKIN SPELLING BOARD 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April50, 1926 v I1-VV.ENTOR' Mum MW BY 77 W ATTORNEY Sept. 17, 1929. M.RIVKIN 1,728,805

' SPELLING BOARD Filed April 30, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 g X He. 8 40opoooooooo INVENTOR BY #MM M ATTORNEY Sept. 17, 1929. M. RIVKIN ISPELLING BOARD Filed April 30, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 lu l" ""l l" ll mlll IMIII l. ll bnn lll lul. III

p b ul l m hm ul u HI I I l hu- I INVQENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 17, 1929 UNITED STATES MENAHEM nivxm. or PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA SPELLING BOARD' Application filed April 30,

In its broad aspect, one object of my invention is to provide a member,wherein either side thereof has a desired visual effect together withmeans whereby said effect may be modified to a desired extent.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a plurality of plugelements in such relation as to definea surface having a desiredappearance, the plug elements being independentlymovable relative tosaid surface, whereby said appearance may be modified as desired.

Another object of my invention is toprovide a plurality of cells,corresponding ends of which terminate in a Working surface,

together with a plurality of plug elements extending from said workingsurface, said plug elements being independently movable whereby adesired character may be formed on said working surface in accordancewith the particular arrangement of the plug elements displaced. V

A further object of my invention is to provide an educational amusementdevice for children. permitting any desired letters or otherconfigurations to be formed thereon in accordance with their ingenuityor a pattern, the characters being easily changed with noresulting'injury to the device.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a structure,wherein a member is provided with a plurality of apertures extendingfrom an exposed side thereof, a plurality of plug elements for closingall of i said apertures but those corresponding to a desiredrepresentation visible on said ex-' posed side, together with meanswhereby light may be projected through said last mentioned apertures toaccentuate the-desired visual effect.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a simple,'efficientand inexpensive method of manufacturing apparatus of the above-indicatedcharacter in quantities.

Other objects and applications of my invention, as well as details ofconstruction and operation, whereby my invention may be practiced, willappear more fully hereinafter, when taken in connection with'theaccompanying drawings, wherein 1926. Serial No. 105,774.

. corner section of the structure of Fig. l, illustrating .theformationof a character by recesses in the working surface i Fig. a is atransverse'sectional viewtaken onthe line 'IV-IV of Fig-3, showing theextent ofmovement of the plug elements away from the working surface?Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. '3, but showing the effect produced byextending the plug elements outwardly of the working surface rather thaninwardly; i I

Fig. 6 's a front. elevational view I of an embodiment of my invention,wherein the visual effect is modifiedby a .sourceof'light andascreen; 1I

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line VIIVII of Fig.6;

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of a sec tional structure embodying myinvention; I Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line IXIX of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is. a side elevational viewof a punching deviceforsimultaneously actuating theplug elements necessary to form a desiredcharacter on the working surface;

Fig. 11 is an end elevational view-of the structure of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a side elevational View of'an enclosing casing for theelongatedtubes and rods, illustrating the quantity production methodinvolved in my invention;

Fig. 13 is a. top plan view of the structure of Fig. 12, showing thetubular element-sin one relation;

Fig. 14 is a similar fragmentary view, illustrating the tubular elementsin another relation; I Fig. 15 is a view. similar to Fig. 14, butshowing an alternative method of manufacturing the frame units; I

Fig. 16 is a View similar to Fig. 3," but illustrating an embodiment ofmyz' 'invention, wherein the ends of the plug elements are provided withdesired representations; and" Fig. 17 is a longitudinal sectional viewof a modified form of plug element.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, a member 1 comprisesa plurality of tubular elements 2 of circular or other desiredcross-section, opposite ends 3 and 4 of said elements respectivelydefining substantially flat, working surfaces 5 and 6. The tubularelements 2 may be secured in the side-by-side relation illustrated bymeans of a circling band 7 shown as a frame having front and rear sides8 and 9, respectively, and ends 11 and 12. The cells defined by thetubular elements 2 may be filled by independently movable plug elements13 extending between the opposite working surfaces 5 and 6.

The frame 7 may be normally supported on abutments 14 positioned at thefour corners of a box 15 having a base 16, whereby the under workingsurface 6 may be spaced from said base 16, for reasons as will presentlyappear. The box 15 further comprises side members 17 and 18, whichparallel the sides 8 and 9 of the frame 7, and the end members 19 and 21which correspondingly enclose the ends 11 and 12 of said frame 7.

A lid 22 for the box 15 may be hinged to the side member 18 so that theexposed working surface 5 may be suitably protected when not in use. Thestructure as a whole may be carried by means of a handle 23 whichextends from the end wall12 of the frame 7 through a recess 24 in theadjacent end wall 21 of the box 15. The opposite end 19 of the boy. 15is provided with arecess 25 similar to the recess 24 through which thehandle 23 may extend when the position of the frame 7 is so reversedthat the under working surface 6 is uppermost.

When a desired representation or character is to be formed on the blankupper working surface 5 of Fig. 1, the plug elements 13 are actuatedinwardly of the cells until the ends thereof abut against the bottom 16of the box 15, each plug element having an end port-ion 26 extendingbeyond the under working surface 6 and a recess 27. between the oppositeend of saidplug and the upper working surface 5. The several recesses 27on the exposed working surface 5 together define the desired character.One such character is shown in Fig. 3, the particular representationbeing the letter H. When the position of the frame 7 is reversed fromthat shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 5, the working surface 6 isexposed and the desired representation is formed by the projecting ends26 of the displaced plug elements 13. Thus, any desired configurationmay be formed on the working surfaces 5 or 6. lVh'en a newrepresentation is desired, the displaced plug elements 13 may bereturned to their original position, as illustrated in Fig. 1,intermediate the working surfaces 3 and 4,-this being accomplishedwithout in any way injuring the device as a whole. The frame 7 andasociated parts thus in effect constitute a so-called spelling boardwhich lends itself particularly to use by children.

The formation of a character on the working surface 5 in one stroke maybe accomplished by a pushing device 28, illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11,wherein a plurality of pins 29 conforming to a desired character, saythe letter M, proJect outwardly from a substantially flat side 31 of asupporting plate 32 having a handle 33. The pins are of such dimensionsthat they may enter the tubular elements 2 to the extent of the desireddisplacement.

The visual effect of the character formed on the working surface 5 maybe varied by difi'erently coloring an inner surface 34 of the tubularelements 2 and the end 3 of the plug elements 13. Thus, color is givento the design as well as to the background. The opposite ends 4 of theplug elements may be given a color different from the ends 3, so thatwhen the position of the so-called spelling board in the box 15 isreversed, another effect may be produced. The sides 26 of the plugs mayalso have a color different from the ends.

A member 35 of relatively thin transparent material of desired color maybe positioned on the upper working surface 5 of the spelling board andsecured in position by means of a frame 36', as illustrated in Fig. 4.The frame 36' comprises side members 37 which fit in recesses 38 formedin the frame 7 and flange portions 39 which extend inwardly thethickness of said frame 7. The flange portions 39 are also spaced fromthe working surface 5, whereby a sheet of glass or other transparentmaterial (not shown) may be retainedon the working surface 5, forreasons as will presently appear. lVhen the plug elements 13 aredisplaced with the member 35 in position, openings are formed thereincorresponding in position to the displaced plug elements 13, so thatwhen the desired character is formed on the spelling board, thecounterpartv is also present on the member 35 in the form of a series ofapertures.

Under certain conditions, it may be. desirable to assemble a pluralityof spelling boards in one unit, as will be the case where my inventionis used for advertising purposes on a large scale. .To this end, Iprovide a supporting frame 40, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, wherein theopposite ends 11 and 12 of each frame 7 respectively engage innersides41 and 42ofvertically spaced top and bottom members 43 and 44,respectively corresponding ends of the members 43 and 44 are connectedby a side member 45 against which the side 18 of an end frame 46 mayabut. An intermediate spelling board 47 abuts against the opposite side17 of the end frame 46.

The members 43 and 44 are provided with outwardly projecting elongatedgrooves 48 for the reception of blocks 49, whereby the frames 46 and 47may be slidablykeyedin position; Thus, successive spelling boards maybe'mounted in side by-side relation, be-

members 43 and 44 extend beyond the opposite working surfaces 5 and 6and are provided with transversely extending flanged edge portions 51,whereby glass plates 52"and 58 may be retained in operative relation tothe working surfaces 5 and 6. The glass plate 52 may comprise a singlemember but preferably a plurality of sections, one for each spellingboard, and they may be inserted in position simultaneously with eachframe or after each frame is in position. The particular function of theglass plates 52 and 53*is to accentuate the visual effect of thereprescntation formed on the spelling board, as

will appear more fully hereinafter.

My invention also contemplates apparatus, whereby the visual effect ofthe spelling board may be modified by illumination. Accordingly,- Iprovide a structure, as illustrated particularly in Figs. 6 and 7,wherein a spell ing-board 54 is'mountedin a frame 55 pivoted at 56 and57 to a pair of rearwardly 9X4 tending arms 58 and 59 mounted on asupporting floor 61. The frame 55 is provided with a front compartment62 having a front wall 63 provided with an opening 64 co-extensive withthe working surface 5 of thespelling board 54. The opposite workingsurface 6 faces a color screen 65 in the form of a flat plate. Thelatter is retained in position bya" rear wall 66 having an opening 67 coexten sive with the front opening 64.

The front and rear walls 63 and 66 have an interconnecting base section68 constituting a support for the spelling board 54 and the color screen65, and also rearwardly project ing side walls 69 and 71 having sections72 extending beyond the rear wall 66. The sections 72 define acompartment 7 3, the upper side of which is closed by the plate 74hinged on the rear wall 66 at 75. A rear end 76 of the plate 74 iscurved as shown in Fig. 7 with a forwardly projecting edge portion 77de-' lining a curved surface 78, the latter being in slidable engagementwith one'end 79 of a plate 81 constituting the lower wall of the chamber7 3. The plate 81 is also hinged on the rear wall 66 at 82.

A source of illumination in the form of a pair of lamps 83 ispositioncdin the chamber 73, being mounted on the curved end portion 76of the hinged top plate 74, as shown in- Figs. 6 and 7. The angularityof the rays of light with respect to the rear working surface 6 may thusbe changed by raising or lowering the bottom plate 81, the weight of thetop plate 74 and lamps 83 being sufficient to cause the maintenance of asliding contact between the curved surface 7 8 and the outer end 7905said bottom plate 81. The latter maybe retained in any desired positionby means of a'pin 84 which 'maybedisposed in any one of aseriesof'apertures 85 formed in the side WZlllSQCtlOlIS 72 acentt-othe'rear edge thereof. V I g The angularity of th efiame 55 and moreespecially the working surface 5'with respect to an observer may also beadjusted by reason of its pivotal connections at 56 and'57 to the arins'58 and59, permittingthe base section 68' thereof to be actuated outof engageme'nt with the supporting surface 61'. The maximum angularmovement of the frame 55 may be determined by the extent to which loweredges '86 of the side wall extensions 72 are beveled with respect to thefloor surface 61; Each of thearms'58 and 59are provided with arcuateslotted projections 87" having. clamping means 88 extending into en'-spelling board" 54 may be easily and quickly" removed to permit achangein the arrange ment of the'removable plugs 13 and alsothemovement'of the color screen 65 to' anew po-- sition, say adjacent to tlie'front wail-i 63. The

space intermediate the tubular elements 2,

may be; closed by means of afiller92, so that the only light visiblefrom the working surface 5 is that which passes through the tubularelements 2, the plugs of which have been removed. I l

In the practical use of the structurejust described the spelling board54 is removed from the compartment 62 by means of the handle 91 andcertain of the plug elements 13 are then removed so that theresulting'openings define the desired character, whereupon "aid spellingboard is replaced in the compartment 62. The visual effect ofithecharacter may now be accentuated by rendering eliective the illuminatingmeans 83. The color screen 5 also causes a changein'the visualelfectwhich may be further altered bypositioning said screen between theworking surface 5 and the front wall 63 of thecompartment 62. The

efiectof the illuminating means 88 may now be ad usted by raising andlowering the same or by adjusting the angularity of the spelling board54 with respect to the observer.

My invention further contemplates means whereby the spelling boards maybe made in quantities with a minimum expenditure of time and of money. i.1 One method of accomphshing this desired result is illustrated in'Figs. 12 and 13, wherein an elongated casing 98 is initially providedwith a bottom wall 94 and sidewalls 95 and 96'and a removable top'wall97. A plurality of elongated tubular element-s98 filled with rods 99 arethen p0- sitioned between said Walls in the manner indicated in Figs. 13or 14. whereupon the top wall 97 is secured in position. The casing 93and enclosed parts are then cut at a plurality of longitudinally spacedpoints, along the dot-and-dash lines of Fig. 12, to form a plurality offrames, each of which correspond to the frame 7 of Fig. 1. Should it bedesirable to have inscriptions on the side of the plug elements 13 ofthe frame 7, as, for example, when the device is used in the playing ofcertain games, the rods 99 are provided with a plurality of markingswhich are so spaced throughout their length as to be positionedintermediate the dot-and-dash lines.

The construction of the spelling board 5st is substantially the same asthat just described with the exception that successive rows of tubularelements are separated by thin sheets 101 of, say paper as illustratedin Fig. 15. One method of filling the space intermediate the tubes 98 isto apply the filler to the upper side of an exposed row of tubes, thenplace the sheet of paper 101 on the coated upper surfaces of said row,apply a coating of the filler to the exposed side of the separatingsheet 101 and then place a row of tubes on the latter, and so on untilthe casing 93 is completely filled, whereupon the upper side 97 issecured in position. When the filler hardens, the casing may betransversely cut at a plurality of longitudinally spaced points.

When glass plug elements are to be employed in connection with thetubular elements 2 of the spelling board, the above processes aremodified to the extent that the plug elements 13 are formedindependently of the frame 7 and thereafter associated with the tubularelements.

A further application of the spelling board of Fig. 1 is in the formingof characters by projecting the ends 26 of the plug elements 13 intoclay. Such desired result may be readily obtained with the parts shownin Fig. 4 merely by placing a layer of clay 102 on the base 16 of thebox 15.

In spelling boards of larger size, the plug elements may be formed withsockets 103 for electric lamps 104, as shown in Fig. 17, whereby thevisual efi'ect on the surface of the spelling board may be still furthermodified. In practice, only sufficient elements are inserted as arenecessary to define the desired character.

While I have shown several embodiments of my invention, for the purposeof describing the same and illustrating its principles of constructionand operation, it is apparent that various changes and modifications maybe made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention and Idesire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be im posed thereonas are indicated in the appended claims or as are demanded by the priorart.

I claim: 1. A block comprising a plurality of nested tubes, the ends ofwhich lie in the same plane, and plugs for said tubes, said plugs havinga length corresponding to the length of the tubes so that the ends ofthe plugs will be in the same plane as the ends of the tubes, said plugsbeing movable relative to the said tubes to form recesses therein todenote a desired character.

2. A block having two opposite plane surfaces, in which are disposed theends of rods encased in tubes, said rods and tubes being disposed sideby side and said tubes acting as guides for the independent movement ofsaid rods in order to produce configurations on both planes by theaction on one plane.

3. A spelling board having opposed plane surfaces, said board includinga plurality of rods disposed side by side, and means for encasing thesides of each of the rods so that such rods can be moved longitudinallyrelative to each other to produce a desired configuration on both of thesaid surfaces.

4;. A spelling board having opposed plane surfaces, said board includinga plurality of rods disposed side by side, and means for encasingthesides of each of the rods so that such rods can be movedlongitudinally relative to each other to simultaneously produce adesired configuration on both of the said surfaces.

5. A method of forming a block having two opposite working surfacesdisposed in parallel planes, said surfaces consisting of a plurality ofindependently movable uniform small unit surfaces, which consists inencasing a plurality of elongated tubular elements filled with rods,then in filling the space between the tubes with a binder, and iinallytransversely cutting the whole at a plurality of points spacedlengthwise of said tubes.

6. A block includin a plurality of nested tubes, the ends of the tubeslying in the same plane, and plugs slidably mounted in the tubes andhaving their ends terminating with the ends thereof.

7. A blockinclu'ding a plurality of nested tubes, the ends of the tubeslying in the same plane, plugs slidably mounted in the tubes and havingtheir ends terminating with the ends of the tubes, and means forlimiting the movement of the plugs with respect to the ends of thetubes. I

8. A block including a plurality of tubes secured together inside-by-side relation, the opposite ends of the tubes lying in the sameplane, and plugs movably mounted in the tubes, the plugs having a heightcorresponding to the height of the tubes.

9. A block comprising a plurality of encased rods, said block having twoopposite working surfaces disposed in parallel planes, the ends of saidrods providing the surfaces of the block with a plurality of uniformsmall unit surfaces, and each unit surface being independentlychangeable in order to change the appearance of the whole surface.

10. A block comprising a plurality of encased rods, said block havingtwo opposite working surfaces disposed in parallel planes, the ends ofsaid rods providing the surfaces of the block with a plurality ofuniform small unit surfaces, and each unit surface being independentlychangeable in order to change the appearance of the Whole surface, saidchanges being produced either by depressing or expelling the said unitsurfaces.

11. A block having opposed plane surfaces, a portion of said surfacesincluding the ends of a plurality of rods, and the remaining portion ofsaid surfaces including means surrounding the sides of the rods andfilling the spaces therebetween.

12. A block comprising a plurality of tubes, rods slidably mounted inthe tubes, and a filler in the spaces between the tubes, the oppositesides of the said block having plane surfaces formed by the ends of thesaid tubes and rods.

13. A block including a plurality of nested tubes, the ends of the tubeslying in the same plane, plugs slidably mounted in the tubes and havingtheir ends terminating with the ends of the tubes, the ends of the plugsconstituting movable surfaces, and means whereby said plugs can bedisplaced a predetermined distance relative to the ends of the tubes inorder to form a configuration having a predetermined height whichcontrasts with the plane of the unmoved surfaces, the latter forming abackground for the configuration.

14. A block comprising a plurality of tubes, a filler between the tubes,and rods slidably mounted in the tubes.

15. A block comprising a plurality of tubes, a binder for uniting thetubes into a solid mass, and rods slidably mounted in the tubes.

16. A block comprising a plurality of tubes, means surrounding the saidtubes for binding them into a solid mass, and rods slidably mounted inthe tubes, the tubes and rods having the same length whereby the blockwill have opposite plane surfaces.

17. A spelling board comprising a block having a plurality of aperturesformed there- -through and means associated with said apertures andshiftable therein to define sensible indicia at one surface of theblock.

18. A block comprising a plurality of tubes of equal length disposed inside to side relation in contact with one another, corresponding ends ofsaid tubes being disposed in common planes and means associated withsaid tubes for characteristically differentiating selected tubes tothereby produce a sensible indicia.

MENAHEM RIVKIN.

